The World She Never Knew
by XxMarahBoBarahxX
Summary: Isabella Swan is nothing. That's what she's always been told. But then one day someone knocks on her door with a letter that will change her life forever. Suddenly she's someone. And in a world full of people looking to hurt her, who can she trust? Canon.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi guys this is my first story ever on fanfic. This is not the first chapter obviously. Way too short. It's more of a taster or a prologue. I hope you like it. I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism or whatever you guys have to say. I would love super long reviews. That's awesome.

I quite obviously don't own Twilight or Harry Potter or much at all. It sucks, but I've grown accustomed to things sucking.

**Prologue**

"I don't care what you think right now! She's coming home Petunia."

It had been sixteen years. Sixteen years since the wizarding world had been forced to suffer through the torment of a man with no consciousness. No heart. And the consequences of his wrath were unfolding around them. Even sixteen years couldn't put any distance between the evil that had festered its way into the lives of so many wizards.

He had used his significant influence to create a legion of followers who were dedicated to the single goal of making him happy. But nobody could. Evil shares a smile with no one. So many had been killed. Families broken and torn beyond repair. No one stood a chance.

But sixteen years ago one thing had put a stop to the evil that had pervaded the world of magic for so long. All it took was one to end it all. There had been so much cost. She'd been left alone in the aftermath. No parents and tons of his old and faithful followers out for blood. So they'd hidden her.

And now their actions were proving to be full of repercussions. They'd only wanted her safe. Away from the glimmer that would surround her if she were to be around people that knew her secret. But things had gotten a bit out of control. Dumbledore was hearing all sorts of reports that talked about how she was being mistreated. _How could you leave her there all alone_?

She knew nothing of the world she belonged to. Nothing of the world that cheered when her name left someone's lips. _She'll be legendary_. She already is.

It was time for all of this to stop. Time for her first year to begin along with the life she never knew. She needed to know. He reached into his robes and pulled his wand from the inner pocket. With a flick of his wrist the dark street lamps were once again alight.

"I'll take care of everything Petunia. It's time."

And then he was gone. _How could you leave her_?


	2. Chapter 2

You know that feeling when life is so overwhelming that you wish everything and everyone would just disappear? And then maybe finally you'd have a moment to yourself to cry? That's how I felt just about every second of the day. It's exhausting.

It was eight o'clock in the morning and I had about another hour before Aunt Petunia came searching for me. Then another day would begin and I'd be lost all over again. I was hiding in the garden. For some reason Aunt P never had the common sense to look for me out here. She always thought I was hiding under the stairs or something and her screechy yells were the only thing that would alert me to her search.

My names Isabella Swan. I really do prefer Bella but Uncle Vernon insists I be called by my given name. Whatever. I'm used to no one ever considering what I want. It had become just another part of the routine.

Some would call me ungrateful, but they only saw the surface of this whole facade. I was a show toy. The desperate weakling they took in after a tragic accident left me alone. People would sigh and pinch my cheeks after the sad story was told and offer the condolences I didn't need. My parents were gone. I'd never really known them and I never would. All I knew was that they left me to a life I didn't deserve. A family that hated the very sight of me and box full of old knick-knacks that had belonged to them but held no meaning for me. I was alone.

And Aunt Petunia was pissed. I was supposed to have another twenty minutes left to myself but obviously the world doesn't seem to tilt in my favor.

"Isabella Swan where are you! We have guests coming tonight and there's cleaning that needs to be done. If you don't come out from wherever the hell you're hiding there will be hell to pay missy!"

I pushed myself up off the ground and swept the dirt off of my clothes. Or rags really. All I got were hammy downs from my cousin Jessica and she was ridiculously anorexic and tiny. Everything was too tight on my tall and curvy frame and I was constantly heckled by the girls at school for dressing like a slut. _At least I don't act like one_.

The shorts I was wearing today came down just below my butt and hugged my hips ridiculously tight but thankfully the tank top I was wearing was from Jessica's pre-anorexic days and it hung nicely over my chest. I made my way inside the house and met Aunt Petunia in the kitchen. Immediately I was given a bucket and a list of things around the house that needed taking care of. Then I was let alone and the house was quiet.

All day I worked, cleaning the rooms and scrubbing the floors until my knees bled. Finally at eight o'clock I was shuffled away into my broom closet of a room while guests flooded the house. I could hear the laughter through my bedroom door and it sounded ridiculously foreign. _No reason to smile_.

Once again I was going to sleep with no dinner and my stomach rumbled in protest. Quickly I stripped off my dirty shirt and replaced it with a less worn v-neck. Crouching down on the carpet next to the mattress I'd been given for a bed I reached beneath it and withdrew on of the few books I'd gotten at the library _Madame Bovary_. I shoved the withered hardback into my worn black backpack along with a half-empty water bottle and pulled on my torn Chucks.

As quietly as I could possibly manage I pushed the only window in my room completely open before silently dropping my backpack to the grass below. Thank goodness I was only on the second floor and had quite a good amount of experience with climbing. That was the one thing I had enjoyed during all the torment at school... P.E. No Jessica or any other ridiculous girl baloogy to deal with. It was just running, swimming, and climbing. All things I excelled at greatly.

Carefully I grasped the side of the window and lowered myself onto the terrace to climb the whole way down. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder I ran swiftly through the yard before pulling myself up the brick wall that separated the backyard from the street and dropping to the other side.

Did I do this often? Running away? Absolutely, almost every night. It was a big step up from getting torture by Jessica or sitting alone in the darkness of my room. I set a quick pace as I moved through the shadows and towards the park. It was growing dark quickly and I increased my pace, hoping to get there before it was too dark to see the nest I'd been watching a bird build over the past couple weeks for its babies. _You have no one_.

It was indeed too dark to see the birds when I arrived. Instead I walked to the swings and sat on the only one that hadn't been broken. The swing set creaked with the added weight of my body and I dug my feet in the sand as I swayed side to side.

I was used to the loneliness, but there were times when I couldn't help but let it get to me. I had no memories to hold on to of the parents that were supposedly in my life at some point in time. Nothing to break the monotony. No one to confide in. No one to trust. The wind picked up and my waist length mahogany hair curls whipped around my face. Sand clouded my vision and I immediately knew it was time to leave. It was monsoon season here in England and I had absolutely no intention of getting myself caught in a rainstorm. I threw my abandoned book back in my bag and stood. Walking back towards the place I could never call my home. _You belong nowhere_.

I was halfway to the house when things got a little weird. All the streetlights lining the culdesac began flickering before finally going completely dark. The wind had settled down and I suddenly felt like something was happening that I had no business in.

Freaking out was not an option. I forced myself to remain calm as I began a brisk jog. The blackness of the night was a thick blanket that suddenly felt suffocating. _Which way do I go_? I stopped abruptly when I realized I'd been going in the wrong direction. This was unusual. I'd been going to the park so long I knew the way home by heart. So how had I let myself become so frazzled to the point where I'd gotten lost?

_Take in your surroundings. Stay calm_. My gaze slid over the houses surrounding me. Everything looked the same. Utterly boring and ridiculously familiar. Nothing stood out. The only thing to catch my eye was an orange tabby cat that stood in the middle of the yard directly to my left. It stood stock still and starred directly at me. It watery blue eyes were bright against the blackness of the sky. _Familiar_.

Suddenly the street lights turned on and I blinked at the immediate brightness. When I looked back to where the tabby had been, nothing was there. In the distance I could hear rapid footsteps approaching and the unmistakable voice of Jessica. I jumped quickly into the nearest bush and covered my mouth with my hand. _You've always been invisible_.

"Isabella you bitch you're gonna be in so much trouble when Daddy finds out you snuck out!"

I stayed still in my hiding spot until I was sure she was gone. Quietly I stepped out from behind the bush and took in my surroundings. I was standing only two feet from the front yard of the house. How I had looked over that before I had no idea.

Not over thinking my curious predicament I ran quickly to the back fence and hopped fluidly over it. When I landed my ankle twisted to the side and I fell to my hands. The rock that made up the whole backyard dug into my hands and immediately the smell of rust and salt assaulted my nostrils. _Who would take care of you_?

There was no time to worry over my hands and I immediately picked myself up and began scaling up the terrace to my window. I jumped inside and stripped myself of my stained clothing and pulled on a pair of warn pajamas. After stuffing my bag into my cramped closet I flopped onto my bed and buried myself in the thin blankets.

Not a minute later was my bedroom door thrown open. I forced myself to stay still and slowed my breathing to look as if I'd been sleeping soundly.

"See Jessica Isabella is obviously nowhere outside. She's asleep in her bed just as you should be. Now I want no more of this nonsense. Go to sleep."

"But Mom I could've sworn!"

"But nothing Jessica! Bed! Now!"

Finally the door closed and I was once again surrounded by darkness. Alone. _You'll always be alone_.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Hey guys sorry it's been awhile things have been a bit crazy. I worked hard on this chapter so I hope you guys enjoy. If you hadn't already noticed I am changing a few things about the whole Harry Potter side of the story. In this story Hogwarts is for grades 11 all the way through college. So it's going to follow through introductory classes all the way up to specialized ones. I know that's kind of odd, but I didn't want to start the characters at age eleven. All the Cullens will be in this story. This is primarily a Twilight story thrown into a Harry Potter environment. Enjoy and please review. A/N**

**I don't own anything.**

I should've known the second I woke from my uneventful dreams that today was going to be different. I awoke to silence. Which was unusual. Most mornings a loud rap at my door pulled me from my sleep and the high-pitched screeching of Aunt Petunia gave me my schedule for the day.

But today was quiet. And today was dark. I could see the black clouds churning through my window and thick sheets of rain fell heavily from the sky. I stepped from the small room and into the barren hall. Everything was in it's place. The picture of Jessica at a cheerleading competition with hanging perfectly on the wall and the vase full of daisies sat in it's place on the dining room table. But something was off. I couldn't shake the strange feeling that was crawling up my spine. _Something's coming_.

I dressed quickly, pulling on a too-tight pair of Jessica's old jeans that were dark and had rips in the knees and then pulling a warm black sweater over my head. The air was cold and even the thick wool couldn't stop the goosebumps from running over my skin.

The house was empty. No note or list of things to do. Just empty. I walked through the halls to the kitchen and the only sound to be heard was my bare feet on the tile along with the rain falling outside. Opening the refrigerator, I pulled out eggs and bacon and got to work on breakfast. Usually I didn't get much to eat besides a piece of bread and if no one was around to stop me, I was going to eat.

The eggs sizzled in the pan and bacon grease popped, stinging my skin. Breakfast was done in no time and I ate quickly. This silent emptiness was unnerving and I was just waiting for everything to come to a crash.

All day it was like this. No yelling from Aunt Petunia or wicked remarks from Jessica. I was getting worried. Where was everyone? I did everything possible to pass the time. I read, I cleaned, and even prepared a gorgeous dinner. But at eight o'clock no one had come home and I was sitting at the table eating all alone.

Maybe they'd gone on vacation and forgotten about me? It was a possibility. I never was allowed on vacations with them. Usually I was forced to stay at Mrs. Figg's across the street. She was a nice old lady who force-fed me chocolate cake and smelled of cats.

I forced myself to push away the uneasiness and instead revel in the absence of the Dursleys. By ten o'clock the clouds in the sky were churning with the wind and I'd curled up on the couch beneath a blanket. The fireplace was crackling just mere feet away and the sound of the rain pounding on the roof was lulling me to sleep. Just seconds after I'd fallen into a peaceful sleep a resounding knock pulled me awake.

The darkness was disorienting as I walked slowly towards the front door. I had no possible idea of who this could be. I had no friends, no other family besides the people who had apparently left town with no backward glance in my direction. People at school hated me for the reputation I'd received due to the rumor's Jessica spread. I wasn't expecting anyone.

And yet someone was knocking continuously at the door as if their presence there should've been expected and immediately received. My body froze when I spotted the outline of this person through the glass of the door. _Freaking huge_. That's all that crossed my mind.

The door rattled with the force of the knocks and all I knew was that there was no way I was opening that door.

"Le me in!" yelled a gruff voice that sent shivers trailing down my spine. Someone knew I was in here. Alone. Alone and completely unprepared.

"Open te door ye damn Dursley or I'll blas'it!"

Instinctively I pulled open the door to the coat closet and hid myself among the winter coats. A blast shook the house seconds later and I threw my hand over my mouth to muffle my shocked scream. I don't know how long I hid in that closet as I listened to the intruder shuffle through the house. I could hear glass breaking and could only hope he would be done soon.

Suddenly the door to the closet was thrown open and there before me stood the biggest man I'd ever seen. He had long curly brown hair and an unruly beard. The wiry muscles of his body were hidden beneath a thick black trench coat that was bumpy and bulging. He must've been a good ten feet tall and he stood hulking over me with a wide smile adorning his face.

"Well there ya are Bella! Been lookin' all ore fo ya." His crackly blue eyes wrinkled with the force of his smile and I immediately relaxed. This giant of a man was looking all for me? _Wonderful_...

"Um may I ask who you are and how you know my name?" My voice came out much weaker than I intended and I stood to my full five feet nine inches to give myself some sort of substance.

"Oh forgive meh Bells. I've forgotten tha you don know nuffin. I'm Hagrid." He stuck his tree limb of an arm out as he spoke and my little hand disappeared in his huge one as he eagerly shook it.

"Dumbledore wantid meh to come git yer. Ya hadn't replied to the letters. Gettin worried 'bout cha."

Nothing was making sense. Dumbledore? Letters? None of this was real or made any wicked form of sense. Must have the wrong person. This couldn't be me. He couldn't be talking about something I should know. This was all wrong.

"I'm sorry Mr. Hagrid, but I haven't gotten any letters and I really have no idea what's going on or who Dumbledore may be. I think you must have the wrong person."

He stood there for a moment. This giant man in the foyer of the house with the front door thrown open and the rain soaking through the carpet. I should've been afraid. Should've been terrified and done everything possible to get away from this guy who was obviously wacko and completely possible of tearing me apart.

I wasn't. His presence felt so...normal. He stuck out so distinctly from the perfectly trimmed yards that filled this neighborhood, but I wasn't scared. The possibility of him hurting me never even crossed my mind. His dimpled smile was so sweet and his accent so charming, I couldn't make myself be terrified. _Run_.

"Didn't cha get the letters?"

Before I could reply his hulking hand disappeared beneath his jacket and withdrew with a slightly worn looking envelope that was curled in at the edges. He handed it to me wordlessly and I tore it open only to pull out a thin piece of parchment.

My eyes roamed quickly over the dainty scrawl that covered the paper.

_Dear Ms. Isabella Swan,_

_I, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, am excited to inform you of your acceptance into our acclaimed school of wizardry. Your name has been on our list of students since the very moment you were born and we are so happy that you have now reached the age to which you can attend our wonderful establishment. _

_Enclosed is a list of materials which you will need for your classes. Hopefully we will see you at the start of term this September. _

_Albus Dumbledore_

This couldn't possibly be me. This couldn't possibly be real. Magic and wizards didn't exist in my world. My world was filled with chores and emptiness. This had to be a joke.

"I know yer prolly thinkin' it ain't real Bells, but it is. Yer a wizard. Hogwarts is a great school. We been waitin' for yer ever since you was born. Yer parents went there."

At that my head snapped up and my icy blue eyes met his watery brown ones.

"My parents were wizards?"

"Some o the best oh their age Bella. They woulda wanted you at Hogwarts. It's where yer meant to learn."

My mind was spinning. The words he was saying were contradicting everything I'd ever been told my whole life. They were killed in a car crash. An accident no one would've seen. They both had normal jobs, they weren't wizards. How could this man break into my life and break down all the walls that had been built around my life? _This would change everything_.

During my little inner conversations I had failed to notice the fact that the Dursleys were home. The stunned faces of my family were starring up at Hagrid, completely shocked. I saw Aunt Petunia's eyes widen and prepared myself for her shocking scream to hit my eardrums, but Hagrid beat her to it.

"Ya damn Dursleys! How coulda not tell her? She knows nuffin bout who she is! Nuffin bout her parents or her past."

Uncle Vernon's plump face immediately turned red and he turned on Hagrid, his sausage-like fingers clenching into fists.

"We raised her! We brought her into our home and I made the decision not to allow that rubbish into our lives. Her parents went and blew themselves up and we got stuck with her. This is over. My family will not be involved in such ridiculousness!"

My lips moved of their own accord, speaking the words before my mind could fully comprehend everything Uncle Vernon had just said.

"You told me they died in a car crash?"

"O course they told yer that Bella! They lied to ya. Yer a wizard! Just like yer parents. Now it's time ter leave. Get yer jacket."

I hesitated for only a moment before running up the stairs and snatching my dark hoodie from the closet. I had it on and zipped before my foot hit the last stair. Hagrid grabbed for my hand and his fingers clenched around mine, pulling me into his side. He took a step towards the door and I could tell Uncle Vernon was using every ounce of self control not to step in. Aunt Petunia was clutching at his shoulders while Jessica hid terrified behind her mother.

The rain was icy and pierced my skin as we walked outside. Hagrid pulled my hood up over my head and we rushed to only what I could assume was a motorcycle. It wasn't a regular motorcycle though. Just like Hagrid, this bike was super-sized and completely terrifying. Hagrid got on first and I sat behind him, fisting his jacket in my hands as he told me to hang on.

Instead of riding off onto the street like I expected, the bike lurched unexpectedly before rising off the ground. _Magic_.

And then we were gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow you guys I am so so sorry it's taken so long. I've had a lot of stuff going and haven't had much time. I promise the next chapter won't take anywhere near as long. Thank you for sticking with me. Now I wanted you guys to know this is a predominantly Twilight story. It's also gonna stick to a lot of the Harry Potter plot, but I don't really have time to check the book as I'm writing to make sure everythings perfect. I hope you enjoy it anyways. Reviews are always appreciated and I'll do my best to reply to everyone!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

This wasn't real. We'd flown through the sky for what felt like hours with me clutching tightly to Hagrid's coat. My arms couldn't reach all the way around his waist and there were a few times when I felt as if I were going to lose my grip, but I never did.

Now I was standing awkwardly hidden behind Hagrid as I followed him into a bleak and dark area of the city. He said there were things we needed to get. People to meet. I had no idea who we were meeting and my mind told me it wasn't exactly wise to follow a giant into a bad part of a city I wasn't all that familiar with. Yeah, I'd lived here all my life, but I'd never been much farther than school or the random trip to the mall. I should've probably been more nervous, but Hagrid's big hand was in my own, guiding me, and I wasn't the least bit scared.

He led me to what looked to be a pub. From a ways away you could barely even tell it was there. The windows were covered from the inside with pieces of wood and the outside brick had been painted an uninviting dark gray that was chipping and peeling with age. Hanging from a few nails was a sign that read THe LeAky CaulDROn. We entered soundlessly, but were unable to escape being noticed. An older woman in a black cloak sitting near the corner turned to face us, her silver eyes sweeping over my face. As her gaze landed on my scar the pint she'd been cradling in her wiry hands crashed to the floor, covering the brick in a thick amber liquid.

Everyone turned towards the commotion, and seeing the shocked look on the woman's face, swiftly followed her line of eyesight. The room was filled with shouts, and Hagrid drew me closer to him protectively. _Someone_.

"Why it can't be!"

"Well my goodness it's Isabella Swan!"

A man wearing a large turban pushed to the front of the crowd and pulled my hands into his. I reacted instinctively and twisted from his grasp. His expression turned into one of displeasure but quickly returned to normal.

"Ere Belle, This be yer one o' yer teachers up at Hogwarts! Professor Quirrell. How ye been Professor?"

"V..Very ggood Hagrid. A..a...absolutely wonderful to mmeet you Isabellla."

His smile was not unkind, but there was something in this man's expression. I forced a smile to my face and shook his hand eagerly.

"What will you be teaching me Professor?"

"Why dear I teach Defense Against the Dark Arts! Not that you'll be needing much of that after what you've already done my girl."

I didn't know what he meant but I played along, nodding eagerly and saying something about looking forward towards his lessons. Finally Hagrid pulled us away and to the back of the pub. He led me towards a brick wall and then stopped, smiling as if we'd just reached a miraculous destination.

"Umm Hagrid... I know I'm not really used to this, but what are we doing here?"

His smile only grew as he turned away from me and began digging around in his jacket. Finally he found what he was presumably looking for, and drew out an umbrella. His brows furrowed with concentration as he began tapping various bricks on the wall.

Right. Two down and one left. The chipped green one. Three down. With the last touch of the umbrella the wall sprung to life. The bricks twisted furiously and eventually formed a doorway. Hagrid smiled excitedly at me before pushing me gently through. Once he stepped beneath the passageway the bricks began moving and quickly formed the original wall once again.

I turned around and was met instantly with a sight I'd never dreamed before.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley Bella! First we need ter stop at Gringotts fo some o' yer money en then we can get te the shoppin'. Lots to get done fore ya can get off ter Hogwarts! Ye gotchur list?

I scrambled quickly through my bag before pulling the letter from Hogwarts from its envelope. Inside there was a list of required materials for lessons. Scales, cauldrons, robes, a wand, books.

"Hagrid are you sure we can get all of this here? I mean I've never been to a store that sold cauldrons."

"Well look around ya Bella! This aint no regular shoppin' place. Diagon Alley is fer wizards like ya. We won't have no problem gettin' yer things."

I took in the shops as we walked. They sold things I could've never even imagined. Obviously I wasn't the only person preparing to leave for school because the streets were filled. Families with children of varying ages were shopping and walking through the streets laden with things. Although all the hustle and bustle was making me nervous it did serve as a good cover. No one even looked my way. I still didn't understand really why people that did see me were so shocked. They seemed to believe I'd done something worthy of their praise. Their eyes went immediately to my scar which made no sense. _I'm nobody. I don't belong here_.

Soon we stood in front of the largest building I'd ever seen. It rose stories high and the front facade was a glittering gold.

"This is the wizard's bank o' Gringotts. Pretty spectacular ha Bella?"

I nodded slowly and Hagrid pulled me through the doors and inside. The inside was beautiful. Marble covered every surface and the air was filled with the smell of smoke.

"They say the smell is cause er the dragons that be guardin the vaults down deep. But no one I knows ever seen one. Inneresting ey Bells?"

Soon it was our turn and we walked up to one of the bank tellers. A man who I assumed was some sort of goblin. He had large, pointy ears and an enormous beaklike nose. His skin was leathery and wrinkled and I couldn't help but gasp when he opened his mouth to reveal a row of sharp, pointy teeth. He smiled wickedly before turning to Hagrid.

"What can I do for you today sir?"

"We need ter stop at vault 687 for Ms. Swan here. Then I got some official business from Dumbledore in vault 713."

Hagrid slid an envelope he'd pulled from his jacket to the goblin and then followed it with a silvery key. The man looked quickly at the contents of the envelope before nodding quickly and plucking the key off the counter. He then swiftly hopped off his stool and walked around the counter and gestured for us to follow.

He led us to what looked like a little boat with wheels. Hagrid stumbled in first before gently helping me inside. The little goblin creature pushed a few buttons and we were off.

"Careful ere Belle. We're goin pretty fast so keep yer hands inside. Ima close ma eyes. The motion gives me a headache."

The little car began moving faster and I quickly realized we were not going up, but down. I tried to follow along with my eyes but the speeding car got the best of me and I soon closed my eyes. Not long after the car came to a halt and we all stumbled out.

The door in front of us read 687. The goblin man pulled the silvery key Hagrid had given him and turned the lock in the door. The door was soon pulled open and my mouth fell open in shock. The room was full of coins. Piles feet high spilled over with little coins of varying sizes and colours. Some were golden, some silver.

"Is this all mine?"

"Well o course it is. Ye didn't think yer parents woulda left yer with nothin did ya? They set it up all for yer Belle."

My eyes filled with tears but I fought them back. My parents, the people I'd never known, had left me a small fortune buried floors deep in a wizard's bank. I'd entered a world that was supposed to be mine all along, but it all seemed foreign to me. This was a world of magic and goblins and wizards, and I didn't feel like I'd ever belong. _Nowhere_.

"It's all yers Belle. They'd want yer ter be taken care of."

Hagrid pulled a small leather pouch from his pocket and began filling it with the various sorts of coins. When it was full he closed the ties and set the pouch in my hands.

"Hold that there for a minute will ya? It should be more than enough ter getchu through dontcha think?"

I nodded because the coins he'd set in my hands equated to more money than I'd ever even seen. After our guide locked up the vault we all once again piled inside the cart and began descending even further down. It seemed like mere seconds before we were stopping again at another vault. This one read 713. Hagrid told me to stay in the car and I watched as the goblin guide walked to the door to the vault and drug his finger slowly down the curved metal. The door opened to reveal absolutely nothing. I was confused for a moment before I saw Hagrid walk in and snatch what looked to be a small package wrapped in brown paper off the floor. He shoved it quickly inside of his jacket and made his way back to the cart.

"What was that Hagrid?"

"Now Bella. You can't tell anyone we came here or what yer saw. I'm on strictly confidential orders of Dumbledore now okay?"

I nodded dumbly and soon we were stumbling out of the car and walking back out onto Diagon Alley. We made our way through my school list quickly. We bought all my books and supplies and then stopped at a store where a lovely older woman made my robes. All we had left was my wand.

"You'll need to go ter Ollivander's fer ye wand Belle. It's up a bit to yer left. I've gots to get somethin' real quick but I'll meetcha there."

Hagrid turned and quickly disappeared into the mass of people. I stood still for a moment. Reveling in the fact that I was away from the Dursley's. Away from Jessica. Away from the loneliness. Suddenly there were people everywhere, and they _knew_ me.

A young girl with bright blond hair braided down her back caught my gaze and her eyes widened when they caught sight of my scar. I turned away quickly, not used to the attention. I hurried into Ollivander's Wand Shop. Closing the door behind me.

Inside it was dark and the air smelled of incense. There was no one else in the shop. In fact I didn't even see a shop attendant anywhere in sight. Curious, I walked along the walls looking at the thousands of stacked boxes. One box stood out in particular and I plucked it gently from the wall. Opening it gently I saw that there was a beautifully carved wand inside. The wood was light and leaves were carved down at the base. It felt heavy in my hand.

"Well give it a twirl my dear."

I jumped at the voice and turned quickly to see an older man standing behind the counter. His eyes were a dark black and his hunched shoulders were covered in layers of black, silky robes. He nodded eagerly towards the wand in my hand. _Go ahead_.

I gripped the thin base in my palm and twirled it through the air. Nothing. I placed it back in the box. Now thoroughly convinced that they'd gotten the wrong girl.

"Don't look so glum my dear. Most students try out dozens of wands before we find them a perfect fit. In fact, I remember your father tried over forty before he found one. Mahogany, 11 inches and pliable, excellent for transfiguration. You see, a wizard doesn't choose his wand Ms. Swan, the wand chooses the wizard."

It astounded me that this man had supplied the wand that my father had used. He remembered. He had known my father. More than I ever would. The man whom I assumed to be Mr. Ollivander turned to face the back wall and began pulling box after box and had me try the wands. No response at all from any of them. Except for the spray of pink sparks from one which Mr. Ollivander claimed to be "completely unsuitable for your frame."

Finally he turned towards me and traced my scar with the tip of his finger. Something told me to step away, but the old man obviously meant no harm, and quickly stepped back, running to the back of the shop. He returned with a sleek black box. His eyebrows were furrowed as he handed me the wand that was inside.

"Holly, 11 inches, supple, containing a single feather from the tail of a Phoenix."

I took the wand in my hand and flicked it in the air. Immediately a shower of sparks and white flowers bursted from its tip.

"Oh my Ms. Swan. It seems your wand has found you doesn't it my dear? Curious though, awfully curious."

"What's curious Mr. Ollivander?"

"Well Ms. Swan. The Phoenix that supplied the feather that's contained in your wand only gave one other. And that wand went to the man who gave you that scar."

His voice settled heavily in the air. A weight on my shoulders that seemed unbearable. I'd always been told I had gotten the scar in an accident. Nothing big. But I'd also been told that my parents had died in a car crash. It seemed as if everything I knew was changing. Suddenly the door opened with a crash and Hagrid stood heaving in the doorway.

"Ya almost done ere Belle? I gotchur somethin' outside."

Happy for the break in tension, I quickly paid for the wand and thanked Mr. Ollivander for his help. Just before I left he gripped my lower arm gently in his hand.

"My dear girl. Goodluck at Hogwarts. I'm sure you'll be just as successful as your parents were. Renee and Charlie were always so lovely to me. Goodbye dear."

Nodding, I turned from his smiling face, not sure what to say. All I remember of my parents were flashes of their faces. Hagrid had mentioned that I looked like my mom, but all I could see of her face were bright green eyes. It seemed as if everyone else knew more of my life than I'd ever been allowed to discover.

The cool air hit me the moment we stepped outside and I was met face to face with a beautiful white owl. It's feathers were snow white and it chirped welcomingly at me.

"Er names Hedwig. Students at Hogwarts are allowed ter have a pet. Happy 16th birthday Belle!"

I smiled wide and wrapped my arms as far around Hagrid as they would go. With all the excitement I'd completely forgotten about my birthday. I gently reached forward and smoothed my hand over Hedwig's soft, downy feathers. No one had ever gotten me a birthday present like this before and my eyes prickled with tears.

Scooping up all of my purchases in his massive arms, Hagrid led me out of Diagon Alley and back to The Leaky Cauldron. No one said anything to us as we settled in at a booth. The pub was rather empty and a thick silence soon filled the air. I had so many questions. There was so much I didn't know. So much I needed to know.

"Why does everybody seem to know who I am Hagrid? What happened to me?"

Hagrid took a long drink of the amber liquid he'd ordered before settling his eyes on mine.

"Not all wizards are good Belle. Some of em go bad. When you was a babe there was one wizard puttin' fear inter everyone. His name was Voldemort. He wanted power, and he was doin' anything ter get it. He had a loyal group o' followers called Death Eaters. They were doin' bad things in the wizardin' world Belle. Terrible things. All kinds o' good wizards were killed usin' their dark magic.

Not everyone was standin' round scared. Dumbledore, the headmaster down at Hogwarts, had helped round up a group of people to stand against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Yer parents were two o' em. I don't know all o' the details, but apparently he found out about yer parents bein' involved. One night he went to yer house. He used the killin' curse on yer dad and then went after ye mom. You was just a year old and yer mom died protectin' ya.

That's why yer so famous Belle. That's why every wizard in the world knows yer name. You're the only person ter ever survive the killin' curse. That night when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named turned his wand on ya it did somethin' wrong. He was greatly weakened and you was only left with that scar. Nobody's seen him sense."

The information hit me like a train. My parents had been murdered. My mother had died protecting me. The man who had killed them was still out there. My vision turned red and wetness spilled over onto my cheeks.

"Do you think he died Hagrid? Do you think Voldemort is still alive?'

"All I'll say is that Voldemort was a great wizard, a terrible wizard who did dark things, but a great one. We'd know if he was dead Belle. I think he's still out there. Biding his time. He'll be back one day."

The rest of the meal was silent. I shoveled soup into my mouth without registering a taste and tried to ignore the constant flow of tears that was obstructing my vision. Soon it was time to leave, and Hagrid loaded up his motorcycle with all my bags and we once again took to the skies.

I was prepared this time and it was actually quite beautiful to see the views in such a way. I felt safe with Hagrid. For the first time I felt as if I could actually trust someone, and it felt nicer than I'd expected. But the happiness of that was overshadowed by the cloud of learning about my parents. I'd been expecting relief from hearing about them, like a weight would be lifted. But I only felt an intense sadness, and a blinding anger at the man who had taken them from me. After about an hour of riding through the clouds we landed noiselessly in front of the Dursleys.

"Now you'll be stayin' ere for only another week Belle. On September 28 you'll need ter be at Kings Cross to board yer train. Here's yer ticket. Do yer think Dursley will give ya a ride?"

I was unsure of how Uncle Vernon would react to me asking for a ride, but I figured I could threaten him with Hagrid, so I nodded my head. Hagrid helped me carry my things upstairs to my room regardless of the constant complaints coming from Aunt Petunia.

Once he left I turned to the solitude of my room, unwilling to deal with Jessica's taunts after such an extreme day. I pushed my purchases far beneath my bed so neither Aunt Petunia nor Jessica could find them. After changing into my pajamas I buried myself beneath the covers. In just a mere day I'd gone from an invisible lonely life to the life of a wizard. A famous wizard. Everyone would know me at Hogwarts. This was not an exciting thought. I wasn't used to being looked at, and the weight of all the information I was learning at a constant rate was taking it's tole.

I didn't want to be famous. I wanted my parents. A family and a normal life. But I'd never have that. All because some man had killed them, pulled them from my life and left me to the Dursleys. Now things would be different. Hogwarts was an opportunity to live the life that I'd apparently inherited. If Voldemort was still out there, waiting, then I'd be ready.

_Try me_.

**What do you think? Please review!!!**


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